The Ultimate Guide to Eating on the West Side

Pastries, izakaya, tacos and antipasto—these are our favourite West-Side eats.

The west side might currently be less buzzy than its eastern counterpart, but don’t let that dissuade you from discovering some hidden neighbourhood gems amid the best scenery in the city.Start your day off right with  Caffé Barney’s (2975 Granville St.) huevos rancheros: two over-easy eggs layered with refried beans, tortilla and signature hash. If you’re looking for a plate with some more local flavour, try the  Farmer’s Apprentice (1535 W 6th Ave.) for regionally sourced goods like coho salmon with whey and clam sauce. If you’re there around happy hour, make sure to stop in next door at  Grapes and Soda (1541 W 6th Ave.) for a glass from their fully organic wine list.

For a quick pastry fix, pick up something warm and flaky from  Beaucoup Bakery (2150 Fir St.). Or, if you’re looking to snuggle in somewhere for the long haul, get yourself a cup of java and a warm berry scone from third-wave coffee spot  Bump n Grind (3010 Granville St.).

Head a little further west along Broadway and you’ll stumble upon  Thomas Haas (2539 W Broadway). Though you might not be able to see in the window because of all the Vancouver magazine Restaurant Award certificates, look for a spherical cake dipped in milk chocolate: the passion fruit mousse interior and coconut base layer offer a little taste of heaven.

Speaking of the VanMag Restaurant Awards, this year’s Restaurant of the Year winner,  Dynasty Seafood (777 W Broadway), is where you can test executive chef Sam Leung’s impressive contributions to Vancouver’s culinary scene. Head over for Sunday morning dim sum or BBQ pork cha siu bao.

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At Angus An’s  Maenam (1938 W 4th Ave.), cocktails like the Rusty Bumper (salted plum and cumin brandy with lemon and Peychaud’s bitters) make the perfect opener to dishes like the gang kau curry, served with grilled striploin beef and shredded wild ginger.

Continuing the Asian theme, we suggest a self-guided food tour around three sister restaurants dotted across the west side. Order as many delicious plates of Japanese tapas as you can handle at  Suika (1626 W Broadway)—but please, god, make sure one of them is the beef short rib—before popping along to  Raisu (2340 W 4th Ave.) for some ice-cold beer and pork cutlet curry noodles. Last, but not least, step into the cozy ambiance of   Rajio (3763 W 10th Ave.) to eat pretty much anything you can think of—from shitake to octopus—on a stick, Osaka-style, paired with delicious housemade sauce (just watch the double-dipping).

Steps from the beach,  Nook (1525 Yew St.) presents a spread of antipasto worthy of a full evening’s attention, while a little further west, L’ufficio’s (3687 W 4th Ave.) small-plate menu—featuring a dream array of formaggio—offers suggested wine pairings that will see you into the wee hours of the morning.

New to Yew Street,  Lucky Taco (1685 Yew St.) offers fried chicken tacos the likes of which you’ve never seen before, and one bite of the corn-on-the-cob topped with queso and pico de gallo will make this room a new must-stop each time you hit the beach this summer.

For pizza, it has to be  Bufala (5395 West Blvd.). Start with the smoked olives while you peruse the menu, continue with the burrata and end with the andouille and zucchini pizza. Still hungry? Finish with the tiramisu, because when in Kerrisdale…

The West Side (click map to enlarge):